High PH and Plants

[aquabillpers]

I've read that water with a pH in the mid 8.0's and higher cannot hold enough CO2 to support most plants. Is this correct?

One way to lower the pH and introduce enough CO2 is through injection.

Would another option be to use a buffer, like PH Down? Would this cause any problems, other than to make the KH / PH / CO2 chart unuseable?

Thanks.

Bill

 

[PeterGwee]

Re: High PH and Plants

Bill, I don't think the pH has much bearing on plant growth (within limits of course..not extremes) as long as the CO2 and nutrients are good.

Regards
Peter Gwee

 

[nursie]

Re: High PH and Plants

I have a ph that is 8.0, maybe even higher at times. I have some plants that do fine, some that do so-so, and I do not CO2 inject, I use Flourish Excel, which is carbon in a different form. My plants are all low light, and I have normal output lights. It depends on the look you are after.

I debated treatments to lower the PH, and decided against it, from what I learned that by trying to reduce it you are likely to have fluctuations in the PH that are more detrimental than leaving the ph alone.

 

[aquabillpers]

Re: High PH and Plants

I think at pH 8.5 CO2 ceases to exist in water, or so I've been told. Perhaps Excel would work at that level.

I have high pH well water, in the 8's. I dilute it with soft, acid water and manage to do reasonably well with my low tech tanks. But it would seem that using a buffer would be easier, if it didn't hurt anything else, and I am beginning to think that it won't.

Bill